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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29373882">In My Head (In My Head)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/protect_him/pseuds/protect_him'>protect_him</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:01:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,815</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29373882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/protect_him/pseuds/protect_him</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always Blood Mages. <i>Always</i>. Anders wakes up to an unfamiliar voice in his head. A prickly voice. Couldn't it have been anyone but Fenris?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anders/Fenris (Dragon Age)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In My Head (In My Head)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I saw the DA Prompt Exchange was doing a Fill-A-Thon. Last time I intended to participate, life stuff got in the way. I went browsing and found <a href="https://dapromptexchange.tumblr.com/post/177039941803/a-blood-mages-spell-kicks-back-and-hits-fenris">this prompt</a> almost immediately. I figured I'd write up a little something. So here's my little something.</p><p>And if the text formatting makes it unclear who is talking, I can try to revise it. Just let me know, or hit me up on <a href="https://protect-him.tumblr.com">tumblr</a>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The last thing Anders remembers is blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marian is standing over him when he wakes up with a heavy groan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” she says. Her smile is hesitant. It’s very subtle, but Anders notices it. He’s spent too long watching their fearless leader not to notice. The second thing he notices is the </span>
  <em>
    <span>pressure</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hang on, Hawke,” he says, sitting up and clutching at his head. “Justice is all kinds of angry this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cuts her off with a wave of his hand and steps back into his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Justice?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>All he was met with was a general spiky anger at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, okay</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Justice was apparently grumpy this morning and didn’t want to talk about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice needs some time, I think,” Anders says. “Whatever happened with that blood mage </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> upset him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it did,” Hawke says. “He tore the man apart. Literally.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders looks down at his hands. He’d thought he had better control than to let Justice take over without realizing it. His hands are clean though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He-ah—didn’t use </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> body to do it,” Hawke says, wincing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’d better get back to Kirkwall and brace you with some ale,” Hawke says, grabbing Anders’s arm and pulling him to his feet. “Then we can tell you what we saw.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Justice? What happened?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Justice still isn’t responding to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right, I suppose it can’t hurt,” Anders says, rubbing his head and picking up his staff. “Since Justice won’t tell me himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps he will,” Hawke says, picking up her own pack and falling in step with Anders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>If this is some sick idea of a joke, I will tear out your heart as soon as I wake up!</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Justice?</span>
  </em>
  <span> That didn’t sound like something Justice would say, plus it made no sense. They were almost to the Hanged Man and Anders had finally gotten a response from prodding at the angry entity in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Stop calling me that!</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders stops in his tracks.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Who else would you be?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anders?” Hawke stops to look back at him. “What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice finally responded,” Anders says, frowning, “but he’s…”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fenris. Who else do I look like??</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Hanged Man is just a bit further,” Hawke pulls at his arm. “You’re going to need to sit down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders hasn’t said anything further to the voice in his head. The not-Justice voice in his head. That is now trying to yell at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Let me wake up! I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but release me NOW</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hawke, what happened?” Anders asks as soon as they step inside the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sit down. Drink.” Varric pulls at his arm when Anders just stands there looking dazed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawke pushes a drink into his hand and Anders obeys. She nods at Varric, who stands up and goes off to his rooms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You remember the blood mage?” Hawke asks. Anders nods. “One of the spells he launched at you, you flashed blue. I’m talking </span>
  <em>
    <span>blinding</span>
  </em>
  <span> blue. The spell seemed to arc over to Fenris, it looked something like lightning when it hit you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fenris?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then Fenris just kind of… went berserk. He dropped his sword and just </span>
  <em>
    <span>launched</span>
  </em>
  <span> himself at that blood mage. Before any of us could do anything, he was all lit up and ripping the man apart. It was...horrific.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, Anders.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders whirls, eyes wide, at hearing </span>
  <em>
    <span>Justice’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> voice. Outside of his head. And sees Fenris, walking alongside Varric. He is wearing some ill-fitting clothes that Varric must have located for him. Probably because his own clothes had been soaked in blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fenris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am Justice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders speaks to the voice in his head then. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fenris?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Fasta vass, mage! If this is your doing, I’ll— </em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I didn’t do it,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Anders hurries, trying to placate the elf who now seems to be occupying his head? </span>
  <em>
    <span>It had something to do with that blood mage’s spell.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>What spell? Release me!</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t— hang on— I’m talking to Hawke now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hawke, you mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fenris</span>
  </em>
  <span> tore the blood mage apart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t Fenris,” Hawke says gravely. “We were afraid that Justice killed him, but it seems that’s not the case?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, he’s in my head alright,” Anders groans. “And as angry as ever.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Mage? What’s going on?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sorry, Fenris, I was talking to Hawke about what happened.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>And?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Justice took your body. He killed the blood mage that did this, but somehow you got booted into my mind</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Your mind?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sorry about that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawke watches Anders as he interacts with Fenris. He doesn’t look angry so hopefully the two aren’t fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I’m in your head. Like your demon</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Justice is a spirit. So I think your spirit just traded places with him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Can you fix it?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I really have no idea yet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I don’t want to be stuck like this.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Believe me, I don’t either.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well?” Hawke asks, when Anders appears to be coming back from wherever in his head he had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s accepting it much better than I expected,” Anders says. He glances at Justice, who sits stiffly, frowning. At least the expression is familiar, since Fenris was always frowning as well. Somehow, Anders misses the elf’s frown. It wasn’t quite so...judgmental as when Justice does it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll talk to Merrill and see if she can give us some insight tomorrow,” Hawke says, patting Anders’s arm. “Do you think you can handle Fenris in your head for a night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders groans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose I can endure it,” he says. “At least Fenris let me drink, and probably won’t keep me up working on my manifesto.”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Please don’t bore me with your manifesto</em>
  </b>
  <span>, Fenris adds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh great, he can hear me now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes, I have discovered how to listen to your conversations.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well tell him we miss him,” Hawke says grinning.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Did you hear that?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Hear what?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hawke says she misses you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Like I’m going to believe that.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She did say it!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I can hear you, not anyone else</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Can you see?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>No, I can’t see! I’m in your head. And you are just a voice in my head</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As are you in mine,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Anders assures Fenris. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We’ll talk to Merrill tomorrow. I’ll see if I can’t come up with some ideas as well.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>What is your ...spirit going to do with my body?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s staying with Varric. They’re keeping an eye on him. He just looks grumpy. So really, no change there.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Very funny, mage.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>But it was kind of nice to go home to the clinic and go to bed without the spirit nagging him to stay up late working on his manifesto.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Mage, have you eaten?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What are you, my nanny?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I’m just asking! You are constantly malnourished.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not malnourished, I’m slender.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Go eat something.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders rolls his eyes, but does as Fenris asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I ate. Happy?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He can feel Fenris chuckling, or laughing, or humming. Doing some sort of satisfied </span>
  <em>
    <span>spirit</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I take that as you’re pleased with yourself.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I am very pleased with myself, yes.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>That elf could be such a pain sometimes. That seemed to be all he wanted though, as he lets Anders sleep after that without any further nagging.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anders is up early and is making his way to the Hanged Man after taking care of a couple patients who were waiting outside his door when he woke up.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Are there always people outside your clinic in the morning?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not always</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Anders replies. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I try to keep regular hours, despite what it may seem like.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I see.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders feels a contemplative hum from Fenris, and takes that as the elf being busy with his thoughts. He hurries to the Hanged Man, disappointed to see that Hawke hasn’t arrived yet. Varric is sitting with Justice, apparently trying to get him to eat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not desire food,” the spirit says. “I have been inactive here for too long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice, we’ve talked about this before,” Anders interrupts sternly. “Mortal bodies need food to survive. And that one doesn’t belong to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It belongs to ME.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know, just chill. We’re taking care of it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something wrong?” Varric asks the spirit. Justice is eating now, but with a massive frown. “You seem unhappy. Is it because we’ve asked you to be careful with Fenris’s body? You want to be out killing Templars? Slavers?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This vessel is unpleasant,” Justice says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bodies do need to be fed,” Varric replies, chuckling. “We’ve got to take care of ourselves that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is not just that,” Justice says. “It is in constant pain. Why does this vessel have a constant fire of pain in its limbs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders stares, eyes running over the exposed lyrium markings on Fenris’s arms and throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean you are in pain?” Varric asks. “Did you use the markings? Fenris can do that glowing trick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have not activated the lyrium,” Justice says. “Although I greatly desire to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where does it hurt?” Anders asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fenris, Justice says he is in pain. Does your body always hurt?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenris didn’t reply, and Justice could sense his sullen mood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The pain is through all of the limbs,” Justice responded. “I dislike it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fenris, how bad is it?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>It is negligible</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is that what Justice will say when I ask him?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Your spirit does not have any concept of how to measure pain</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps not. Still, this was something to consider, which Anders hadn’t really thought about before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think it will be very hard to reverse,” Merrill says cheerfully. “It’s a matter of pulling a spirit from one place and putting it in another!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is a blood magic spell, isn’t it?” Anders asks, folding his arms around his staff defensively.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Blood magic?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Merrill’s got an idea how to fix this, but it involves blood magic.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence from Fenris. He didn’t like blood magic just as much as Anders, probably more.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t come up with any better ideas</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Anders says. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You know I’ve been trying.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I am aware. I do not blame you for that.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>He what? Fenris seemed uncharacteristically forgiving of Anders. And...understanding? That in itself was more unsettling than seeing Merrill diagramming the runes she would need to make in blood to perform her spell.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m willing to try it if you are.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Justice didn’t exactly get a say in the matter at this point. Varric is at his wit’s end trying to keep Justice occupied. Justice hates eating, and wants to run out in hunt of either slavers, Templars, or both at the same time, convinced that with Fenris’s lyrium and his own righteous anger he will have no problems bringing Justice to Kirkwall. Anders is ready to see Fenris’s familiar scowl on his own face. Justice’s version doesn’t have the same charm.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I can think of no alternative</em>
  </b>
  <b>,</b>
  <span> Fenris concedes. So, reluctantly, they agree.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Merrill has prepared the runes necessary. The blood is dried and her hands are clean, but the room still smells, and Anders wrinkles his nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Be glad you can’t smell this,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he tells Fenris.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>I’m glad I can’t smell you. You have not bathed in these two days</em>
  </b>
  <b>.</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders chuckles, drawing a suspicious look from Hawke. Fenris admittedly has been much more considerate of Anders than Justice had been, and Anders hasn’t gone hungry at all yet. Fenris also lets him sleep, though Fenris admitted that he doesn’t get to sleep himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Looking forward to having your body back?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Extraordinarily so. Are you eager to reconvene with your spirit?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not quite so much.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Hawke has a similar question for Anders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bet you can’t wait to get Fenris out of your head, eh Anders?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s really not so bad,” Anders says. “I think I’m going to miss him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Somehow I doubt that.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m serious, Fenris</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Anders rolls his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You aren’t so bad when you aren’t spewing anti-mage rhetoric.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>You have some valid points</em>
  </b>
  <b>, </b>
  <span>Fenris conceded. </span>
  <b>
    <em>I was paying attention when you were working on your manifesto, you know. It is...concise and eloquent.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Who are you and what did you do with Fenris?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders grins, and is admittedly blushing. Fenris can’t know that though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Having a nice talk there?” Hawke interrupts him. “You seem rather pleased. You don’t have to miss Fenris once he’s out of your head, you know? I’m sure there’s room in his mansion for two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no, I don’t think Fenris would be interested in sharing his mansion with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>mage</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Anders is quick to assure her.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>What are they saying about me?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hawke simply said that I don’t have to miss you once you’re no longer in my head.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>Well, she is not incorrect.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fenris, are you flirting with me?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>No. Just stating a fact.</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Somehow I doubt you will care to see me again once you have your—</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anders?” Merrill is waving to get his attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Fenris is...talkative today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>No more than usual,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Fenris objects, but Anders is trying to pay attention to Merrill. She instructs him where to stand, and then Justice beside him. The spirit hasn't had much interest in talking to Anders the last few days. It seems with a body of his own, Justice could care less what Anders is doing, which admittedly makes Anders wish, just a little, that Fenris would stay in his head in place of Justice. It would be unfair, but Fenris </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> better company, and Justice seems to have forgotten Anders in his new enthusiasm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merrill begins her spell, with Hawke and Varric standing on the sidelines. Anders blacks out, and when he comes to, the first thing he notices is blood. The taste of blood in his mouth. He's not bleeding, but an after effect of the spell is apparently tasting blood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenris is having the same experience, and appears to be just as disgusted by it. Justice… Justice is unhappy to be back in Anders's head.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It's only just, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anders argues. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You took Fenris's body without his consent. He deserves to have it back.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Justice relents, but retreats to a grumpy mumble in the back of Anders's mind. Which is fine with Anders, for now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Glad to have your body back?" He asks Fenris, who is adjusting his clothing as if it didn't fit him quite right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is refreshing." Fenris looks up at him with an easygoing smile. "No mage in my head. And I can see again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No noticeable issues?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything seems to be in order,” Fenris says. He picks himself up and brushes dust off his trousers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two alright?” Hawke asks, once she has talked to Merrill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’re peachy,” says Anders. “Justice is back, and grumpy as ever. And Fenris.” He gestured to the elf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All good here as well,” Fenris agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And no fighting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re good, Hawke,” Anders says. “I don’t think we’ll be at each other’s throats anytime soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just checking!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate the concern,” Fenris chuckles. “Do you need me, or will you permit me to return to my mansion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, Fenris. Do you feel ok?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, only my limbs feel very heavy. I think I am quite tired.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice resisted sleeping,” Hawke says apologetically. “Varric did try.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenris nods and excuses himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to miss him?” Hawke turns to Anders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I already do, in a way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anders is a bit surprised to see Fenris in the door of his clinic two days later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fenris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is your spirit...adjusted?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Justice is fine,” Anders says. “Are you feeling better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Much better,” Fenris says. “I think I slept the greater part of the last day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I meant to see how you’re doing,” Anders says, as casually as possible. “Do your markings hurt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenris squints at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you eaten, mage?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Mage</span>
  </em>
  <span> wasn’t really spoken harshly, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, actually,” Anders retorts. “Would you let me see if I can help with the pain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The thought did cross my mind,” Fenris admits. “But not if you are too tired.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” Anders says, waving his hand. “Why don’t you  let me take a look at your arm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenris holds out a hand and Anders takes it. Without his prickly armor, the elf is surprisingly soft.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you mind if I use a spell, just to...diagnose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I expected as much,” Fenris says. “You will stop if I ask?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s surprising how much easier communication seems between them now. Fenris had only been in his head for just under two days, and they hadn’t talked that much. Somehow, the tension between them had eased in that little time, replaced with something a little less sharp. There was something like understanding there. Fenris seemed to have more trust for Anders, and Anders could see himself enjoying his time around Fenris more now that their differences seemed less of a barrier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anders is looking forward to exploring this new-found friendship, as long as Fenris allows him.</span>
</p>
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